Adele Ladkin

Dr. Adele Ladkin is Professor of Tourism Employment in the Department of Tourism & Hospitality, Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University, UK.

She gained her PhD at the University of Surrey in 1995. Her research interests and publications are in tourism employment and education, human resources management, employee wellbeing, labour migration and mobility, and the use of digital technologies for work-life balance whilst working on the move.

She has conducted UK Research Council funded research in the area of tourism work. Professor Ladkin was joint Editor in Chief for the International Journal of Tourism Research from 2003-2009, and she serves on the Editorial Board for Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Economics, The International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, ACTA Turistica, and the International Journal of Event Management Research.

She is an Honorary Professor at the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Professor Ladkin has a long standing interest in the ‘people’ aspect of the tourism industry. From her early career as a travel agent to her most recent research, she has always primarily been concerned with those who work in the sector and whose livelihoods depend on tourism. Her talk will be a reflection on tourism human resources, considering a rane of contemporary issues and challenges.

ABSTRACT

Successful Tourism Destinations: A Human Resource Perspective

Creating and maintaining a successful tourism destination is a preoccupation for the industry, and is essential for competitive advantage. There are many factors that can contribute to a destination’s success, including the environment, tourist infrastructure and destination management and marketing. However, what is often overlooked is the vital role of human resources.

The tourism workforce is a neglected area of discourse in tourism studies, which is surprising given that it is the ‘people’ who make the difference and are at the forefront of tourist encounters and service delivery. For a destination to be successful if must take account of these ‘human’ assets. Taking a holistic approach, a destination should consider issues such as the wider labour market trends, the decent work agenda, recruitment and retention, education and training, and employee wellbeing. Looking to the future, destinations should also be aware of the evolving nature of work and the impacts this will have on both employers and employees alike.

Exploring the issues and challenges for destination success sets the global scene and focuses the mind on tourism’s human resources.